Membership

Yale Aviation has been a flying club for over 100 years. Currently incorporated within the state of Connecticut, it provides its members with access to airplanes and flight instruction in pursuit of its mission to promote education in aviation as stated in its YA By-laws. Membership is open to all members of the Yale community (students, faculty, and employees) plus their families and those without connection to Yale upon approval of the membership committee. Rules as to operation, scheduling, billing, insurance, and instruction can be found in the Yale Aviation Regulations.

Enrollment

To become a member and begin instruction, one must complete an application form (PDF) and pay the fees as outlined below.

Club Membership Fees (as of May 2015)
Three levels of membership are available:

• Tier-1 Membership – Tier-1 membership, based on a one-time $1,000 membership fee, offers rated pilots day-long and overnight flight privileges with N55044 and reservations of 4 hours on N32028. Monthly membership dues of $60 and the standard hourly rates for the aircraft apply. Members must log (and will be billed for) one hour of flying monthly. Unflown hours may be accumulated for 12 months.

• Tier-2 Membership – Tier-2 membership, based on a one-time $400 membership fee, offers reservations for periods of up to 4 hours on N32028 and N55044 (day-long or overnight takeaways are not permitted). Monthly dues of $60 and the standard hourly rates for the aircraft apply. Members must log (and will be billed for) one hour of flying monthly. Unflown hours may be accumulated for 12 months. Rated pilots who are Tier-2 members in good standing may become Tier-1 members for an additional fee of $600.

• Affiliate Membership – For no charge, you can become connected to the Club via Newsletters and passwords where applicable. You do not have access to the Club’s airplanes nor are you able to vote at Club meetings, but you are welcome to participate in Club functions.

Aircraft Rental Rules & Fees (as of May 2015)

There is a 4 hour limit on reserving airplanes for Tier-2 members. Tier-1 members can reserve for up to 5 days without prior approval. In general, an aircraft can be flown anywhere in the continental United States and Canada. Trips lasting longer than that need prior approval from a club officer. Flights to other destinations can also be arranged with club officer approval.

All aircraft are rented “wet,” meaning that gas and oil are fully covered by the rental cost. Planes will be refueled upon request by Robinson Aviation. Rental charges are assessed only for the time the engine is running. If a member has to pay out-of-pocket for fuel at other airports, that member will be reimbursed upon submission of a receipt to the treasurer.

• N32028: Piper Cherokee 140, $110.00/hr.

• N55044: Piper Cherokee 180, $115.00/hr.

Membership rates and fees are subject to change. A fuel surcharge may be added when avgas prices surge and will be reduced as they come back down.

Insurance and Checkout Requirements

All Club aircraft are covered by a master insurance policy held by Yale Aviation Incorporated. The policy covers damage and liability. Currently there is a $1,000 deductible on any accident caused by a member. Insurance company rules require that each member have flown a Yale Aviation aircraft within the past ninety days to be to be covered on a current flight. Members must be checked out in each aircraft by the Chief Pilot or Yale Aviation authorized CFI. The list of YA-authorized CFIs, plus rate and operations information, is included on the Yale Aviation Operations Overview & Rate Sheet.